Sound resonator



Nov. 22, 1932. M. T. PROBANSKI SOUND RESONATOR Filed July 21, 1931 INVENTOR Maxim z'iZz'anfl robansla Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES.

MAXIMILLIAN 'I'. PROBAN SKI, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK SOUN'D RESONATOR Application filed July 21,

My present invention relates to an improvement in resonating, sound amplifying horns and its main object is in the provision of means in such a sound amplifier whereby to improve the tone and volume of sound transmitted, and, particularly in the case of music, to greatly increase the resonance of the sound waves passing through and emitting from the amplifier.

A further improvement lies in the provision of means whereby certain enclosing walls of the amplifier are so constructed as to vibrate readily to the tones passing therethrough of any amplitude, and to provide other walls to the said amplifier which will be so constructed as to be non-sympathetic to sound vibration of any period.

Another object of the invention is to provide at the amplifying portions of the structure, bass, or tone bars to which are braced sound amplifying resonating devices by direct and indirect connection and to'tie such resonating devices to oppositely faced supporting diaphragms.

Another object is to provide at the interior of the tone chamber a plurality of hollow tubular tone resonators which may be of varying lengths and diameters, for different tonal amplitudes or periods, said resonators being open from end to end and being suspended 1 within the interior of the said chamber in varying positions, angular or otherwise, so

that they are trained substantially toward the direction of the tone source at one end of said chamber, the other ends being directed to the open, outer, sound emission end of said amplifier.

These and other capabilities will be apprehended as the herein description proceeds and it is obvious that modifications may be made in the structure herein described without departing from the spirit of the herein invention or the scope of the claims. In the drawing Fig.1 is a plan view of my device;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view, being taken as on the line 2-2 Fig ,3, looking in the direction of the arrows and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken'en the 1931. Serial No. 552,128.

line 3-3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The characteristic showing of the principles of my mprovement are best disclosed in Fig. 2 in which there is shown an upper or vibrating bellied resonating diaphragm 1 which forms the top of the herein. described instrument, and this top is shown as flaring, over the rear sound receiving end 2, upwardly and toward the sound outlet emission end 3. Theplan outline of this diaphragm as is indicated in Fig. 1 is somewhat fan-shaped from end 2 to end 3, the outer corners a thereof being broken away for convenience, as shown. The opposed lower or floor diaphragm 4, Fig. 3, is in plan contour exactly like that of upper diaphragm 1, but in plane it is straight and fiat and lies substantially parallel, or horizontal, with the floor line. Binding pieces or fillets, as at 4, may be used at the junction of the side walls diaphragms, and the structure may include reinforcing strips, as at 5', 6.

The sides or sections 5 and 6 of the instrument join the upper and lower diaphragms 1 and 4 together, said sides being curved at their rear ends as at 78 to merge into and be connected to the end piece or attaching ring or terminal 9, which may be substantially circular in formation for the purpose of having aflixed thereto an electrically actuated loud speaker, preferably of the so-called Dynamic speaker type, which may be operated from any suitable electrical audio sound amplifying means, connected with a 35 sound source, not shown.

The said sides 5 and 6 may be joined to the upper and lower diaphragm members 1 and 2 by any suitable means such as glueing, after being shaped to proper form and are covered preferably on both side-s of each with a sound insulating material such as felt 1011-12 and 13 or any suitable sound or vibration deadening material. Both of the inside and outer faces of said sides 5 and 6, which are rigid and. non-resonating, are thus covered.

The purpose of this cover, as 10-11, is for deadening any vibrating effect of these sides 5 and 6, which, being made of wood, as is the rest of the instrument, would otherwise tend to vibrate and add undesired resonances to the tone emitted. As thus constructed, the upper and lower diaphragms have a unison vibration with a resonance eiiect which i have found extremely desirable in the present construction.

lit will be further noted that the iioor or bottom diaphragm l is entirely fiat and that the upper or curved resonating diaphragm is not only curved downwardly and outwardly from its central thickened portion 114, but also their tends to curve slightly upwardly at the outer marginal portion, so as to show, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, both in fore and aft and in cross section, a double curvature whereby in sheet this upper or principal resonating diaphragm is formed with a belly structure. With a curved diaphragm l the results are exceptionally good.

lit is found in practice that this instrument is best made of a good dry spruce wood and as it is quite large structurally, being 6 feet in over all length with its sound opening end approximatel therefore obvious that the main diaphragm 1, while so constructed as to have an inherent structural rigidity, has at the same time a oer.- tain vibrational delicacy to permit the emission of resonating sounds of various tone values.

As a means for further enhancing the resonating qualities of the herein described construction it is also provided "with a pair of bass or tonal bars 16, 17 which bars at their junction with the main resonator 1 are contou'rably fitted thereto and may be afiixed by gluein if desired.

It Wlll presently be noted that the bass bars are attached to the under surface of resonating diaphragm 1 mainly on the swell or belly portion thereof, as viewed in section in Fig. 2, and that they are spaced apart as in Fig. 3 at or near the peak of the belly portion 14.

- These bass bars are rather thicker at their middle portions than at the ends 18 and 19, where they merge gradually into the thin ends and at or near these thin ends they are provided with flat bottom stepped portions 20 and 21, the lower faces of which are parallel with the horizontal face of the floor diaphragm 4.

In the interior, engaging with the bottom steps 2021 of these bass bars, is a pair of transversely disposed resonating transmission bars 22 and 23. These latter bars rest upon the said bottom steps 20 and 21, extend across and parallel with the line of the floor diaphragm 4, and thus support a plurality of attached standards or sound posts, generally denoted by 24 and 25 respectively. T he forward grou of standards 24 are identical in conformation and length and are each provided with a bottom dowel portion 26, which is entered into corresponding fitted bores cut in the bottom of the floor diaphragm as fully 5 feet by l feet high. It is disclosed in both igs. 2 and 8. The upper ends of these standards 24 are suitably and rigidly connected to the transverse sub-bass bars 22 and 23, so that, as constructed, all of the standards 24, which are really sound posts, are held vertically within the tone chamber of the instrument by the constructions just enumerated. Thus all of the sound posts except sound post A and sound post B, 19 lg. 3, indirectly transmit their vibrating periods to the transverse bars 22 and 23 and these in turn transmit such vibration periods to the main vibrating diaphragm 1, through the main bass bars 16, 17. These latter bars therefore carry the other vertical and transverse bars, as a frame, which vibrates with the diaphragms. Inasmuch as all of this frame is tightly fitted it is obvious that there is an inherent stress between the upper and lower diaphragms at all times. I

It will he further noted that each of the forward wooden standards, which are transversely arranged across the chamber, as shown, is provided with four integral, open ring-like portions C, these portions being bored in such a manner and at such an angle as to rigidly support, preferably frictionally or without glueing, a plurality of hollow resonating tubes or pipes D, which are open at both ends. These pipes, which have their outer ends uniformly distributed adjacent the expanded end of the instrument, are also preferably of wood and are symmetrically disposed and radially arranged, substantial- .lly from a point located near the inner end converging generally to the opening'of the inner end piece 9. Said pipes are therefore radially arranged from a point outside of but adjacent to the loud speaker end 9.

The structures of the rear standards or ill sound posts 25 and other appurtenant tone tubes of both the forward and rear groups may, with advantage, be staggered in mounting, as well as being different in length. When sound is emitted from the rear end 9, and as it passes through the flaring amplifying chamber of the instrument, it must pass around and through and lengthwise of the resonance tubes and the maze of sound posts, which support said tubes.

Inasmuch as this complete structure is made of wood, the whole interior tone structure is easily set into vibration and is caused to resonate and to impart such vibrations and resonations to the upper and lower diaphragms 1 and 2 that they create a tone or reproduction of extremely high quality. The structure recreates the sound through the loud speaker in a surprisingly high degree of quality and large volume.

It is understood that the varying lengths and diameters of the resonance tubes, as shown herein, impart a sympathetic sound resonance period of great amplification, which causes them to respond more readily to certain tone pitches, to which they more readily vibrate, than do others of difierent lengths. The device as herein constructed has a highly sympathetic resonant response to all tones within audible range.

As the hereinbefore described construction admits of considerable modification, without departing from the invention, the particular arrangements shown should be taken as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. Therefore, the scope of the protection contemplated should be taken solely from the appended claims, interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

I claim:

1. An amplifier comprising opposed nonresonating walls having enlarged ends disposed in parallel relation, a loud speaker receiving terminal, reduced ends of said walls carried by said terminal, and opposed diaphragms having also enlarged and reduced ends and supported on said. walls and on said terminal, the enlarged ends of said diaphragms being also positioned in parallel relation.

2. An amplifier comprising in combinationopposed rigid walls having enlarged ends disposed in parallel relation, a loud speaker receiving terminal, reduced ends of said walls mounted on said terminal, opposed resonating diaphragms supported on said Walls and having also reduced ends mounted on said terminal, andenlarged ends onsaid diaphragms disposed'in alignment with said first enlarged ends, thereby providing an expanded sound emitting terminal.

' nant walls carrying said diaphragms and providing opposed sound receiving and sound emitting ends. and means disposed between said walls and connecting said diaphragms.

7. A sound amplifier comprising coacting resonating diaphragms, interposed walls having sound deadening material thereon, and

'means including posts connecting said means disposed between said walls and connecting said diaphragms.

8. An amplifier comprising in combination a loud speaker connecting member, a sound amplifying chamber including opposed side walls having reduced ends mounted on said member, opposed resonating diaphragms supported on said walls and having also reduced ends mounted on said member, means connecting said diaphragms, and enlarged ends on said Walls and on said diaphragms and providing a sound emitting terminal.

9. An amplifier comprising opposed rigid walls, opposed resonating diaphragms supported by said walls, means connecting said diaphragms, and hollow tone resonators carried by said means.

10. A sound amplifier comprising opposed rigid walls having sound deadening material thereon, opposed resonating diaphragms supported on said walls, means disposed between said walls and connecting said diaphragms and hollow tone resonators carried by said means.

11. A sound amplifier comprising opposed rigid walls, opposed resonating diaphragms supported by said walls, bass bars internally carried by one of said diaphragms, and resonating means connecting said bars with the other diaphragm.

12. An amplifier comprising a loud speaker receiving seat, a sound amplifying chamber including opposed side walls having reduced ends mounted on said seat, opposed resonating diaphragms supported on said walls and having also reduced ends mounted on said seat, means disposed between said walls and connecting said diaphragms, said walls and said diaphragms having enlarged ends and providing a sound emitting terminal, and hollow radially disposed tone lesonators carried by said means.

13. In a sound amplifying device comprising opposed side walls, a bottom diaphragm disposed between and connecting the lower edges of said walls, a top diaphragm disposed between and connecting the top edges of said walls, said walls and said diaphragms providing opposed sound receiving and sound emitting ends, and soundding phragms.

14. In a sound amplifying device comprising opposed side walls and having a sound receiving end and an expanded sound emitting end, a bottom resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the lower edges of said walls, a top resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the top edges of said walls, said latter diaphragm including a central belly portion, bass bars internally disposed on said portion, and tone resonating means connecting said first means and said bottom diaphragm.

15. In a sound amplifying device comprising opposed side walls and having a con tracted sound receiving end and an expanded sound emitting end, a bottom resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the lower edges of said walls, a top resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the top edges of said walls, said latter diaphragm including a central thickened belly portion, a continuous thin portion marginal to said first portion, plural bass bars connected to said first portion, and a group of sounding posts partly connecting said top and said bottom diaphragm,

16. In a sound amplifying device comprisin g opposed side walls and having a sound receiving end and an expanded sound emitting end, a bottom resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the lower edges of said walls. a top resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the top edges of said walls, said latter diaphragm including a central thickened belly portion, longitudinally disposed bass pieces engaging the inner surface of said portion, a transversely disposed bar engaging said pieces, and a group of resonating posts terminally engaging said bar and said bottom-diaphragm.

17. A sound amplifying device according to claim 16, in which the resonating posts are perforate, and resonating pipes disposed in the perforations of said posts.

18. A sound amplifying device according to claim 16, in which said walls are provided with sound deadening material and in which said sounding postsare perforate, and radially disposed resonating pipes positioned in the perforations of said posts.

19. In a sound amplifying device comprising opposed side walls and having a sound receiving end and an expanded sound emitting end, a bottom resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting'the lower edges of said walls, a top resonating diaphragm disposed between and connecting the top edges of said walls, said latter diaphragm including a central thickened belly portion, longit-udinally disposed bass pieces engaging the inner surface of said portion, a frame including transversely disposed bars engaging said pieces, inner and outer groups of posts terminally engaging said bars and said bottom diaphragm, said posts having apertures therein, radially disposed sound modifying pipes positioned in the apertures of the inner group of posts, and enlarged radially dis-.

posed sound modifying pipes positioned in the apertures of the outer group of posts.

20. A sound amplifying device according to claim 19, in which said side walls are provided with sound deadening material.

21. An amplifying device comprising opposed rigid side walls, opposed diaphragms carried by said walls and providing a sound amplifying chamber having a loud speaker receiving end, and a resonating frame disposed within said chamber and carriedby said diaphragms for variably modifying tones moving from said loud speaker.

22, An amplifying device according to claim 21, in which said frame includes longitudinally disposed bass bars mounted on one of said diaphragms, transverse lines of periterated resonating posts attached at one of their respective ends to the other diaphragm, variably constructed hollow resonating tubes mounted in the perforations of said posts, and transversely disposed bars mounted on the opposite ends of said posts and engaging said first bars whereby to directly and indirectly connect said posts with said bass bars.

23. A device of the class described comprising opposed rigid side walls and opposed diaphragms, means connecting said walls and said diaphragms to form a tone amplitying chamber, and a plurality of resonating members disposed in said chamber and connected to said diaphragms.

24. A sound amplifier comprising opposed rigid walls, opposed vibratory diaphragms carried by said walls and providing, with the latter, end openings, means disposed between said diaphragms for vibration therewith, said means having an aperture therein, and a hollow resonating tube disposed in said aperture and having its ends aligned between said openings.

25. A sound amplifying device comprising an annular band, opposed rigid walls having extended straight ends, opposed vibratory walls supported by said first walls and having straight ends cooperating with said first ends, tapering portions of said walls merging to and supported on said band, means including a post disposed between said second walls for vi ration therewith, and a hollow resonating tube carried by said post and having its opposed ends directed to said band and to said first ends.

26. A sound amplifying device comprising an annular band, opposed rigid walls having extended straight ends, opposed vibratory walls supported by said first walls and having straight extended ends cooperating with said first ends, and tapering por- 

